chapter 4

The Last Plea

“Men, send the Eldest Miss on her way,” Zhao Song commanded directly.

“Father, no!”

At the critical moment, a small boy rushed in and grabbed Zhao Song’s leg, crying out loudly.

“Feng’er, why are you here?” Zhao Song asked, surprised to see his only son.

“Greetings, Master. Greetings, Madam.” Following closely behind, Concubine Sun and Zhao Keran’s wet nurse, Yue-gu, hurried to pay their respects to Zhao Song and Qin Xianghe.

It was clear that Yue-gu had brought Concubine Sun and Zhao Kefeng here.

“Sister Sun, how could you just barge in here with Kefeng? Didn’t you see the Master is handling family affairs? How can you just intrude like this?” Qin Xianghe’s expression soured the moment she saw the woman who had given Zhao Song his only son.

“Master, Madam, I have already heard the sequence of events. I feel that today’s matter is truly suspicious. Therefore, I have gathered my courage to beg the Master: please investigate thoroughly before making a decision. You must not wrong the Eldest Miss!” Concubine Sun knelt on the ground, slowly voicing her plea.

“Concubine Sun, rest assured.” Zhao Keren smiled gently, though the warmth didn’t reach her eyes. She walked over to Sun’s side and helped her up. “Father has already investigated today’s matter clearly. He would never wrong Sister. Or do you think Father is incapable of distinguishing right from wrong, unable to handle such a small matter?”

Zhao Keren’s words caused Zhao Song’s brow to furrow, his face darkening further.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Concubine Sun said, quickly kneeling again.

“Wan’er, take Feng’er back to Suifeng Garden first,” Zhao Song ordered. “This is not a matter you can interfere with. Go back.”

“Master!” Concubine Sun wanted to say more, but Zhao Song cut her off.

“Say no more. Go back.”

Left with no choice, Concubine Sun tried to take Zhao Kefeng away, but the boy Refused to leave no matter what.

“Continue,” Zhao Song commanded.

“No! Father, don’t make Big Sister drink the poison!” Zhao Kefeng cried and struggled. “Father, please just let Big Sister go, okay?”

Zhao Keran looked at Concubine Sun and Zhao Kefeng in a daze. Normally, Qin Xianghe despised Zhao Song’s concubines—especially Sun, who had given birth to the eldest and only son. Consequently, to please her mother, Zhao Keran had always intentionally distanced herself from the concubines and her half-siblings.

How ironic. The mother she had always tried to please only ever had eyes for her “perfect” sister, and wouldn’t even say a word for her at the brink of death. Yet Concubine Sun, whom she had ignored, was risking punishment to try and explain for her. The younger sister she had doted on was kicking her while she was down, while the half-brother she had neglected was pleading desperately on her behalf.

In this moment, Zhao Keran began to doubt what kind of muddled, foolish life she had been living.

Zhao Song remained unmoved by Zhao Kefeng’s cries, coldly signaling the servants to proceed.

“No! Master!” Yue-gu rushed forward to stop them, pleading through tears. “Master, spare the Eldest Miss! If someone must take the blame for this, let it be me! I will drink the poison! I only beg the Master to spare the Eldest Miss—she is your own flesh and blood!”

With that, Yue-gu snatched the poisoned wine from the servant’s hand and swallowed it. Before long, the poison took effect, and Yue-gu fell dead.

Seeing Yue-gu’s body, Zhao Keran nearly collapsed.

“Nanny! Nanny, no! Don’t leave me!” Zhao Keran called out incessantly to the woman who had protected her with such devotion, the woman who was even willing to die for her.

“Yue-gu!” Zhao Kefeng was also shocked by the sight.

However, Zhao Song remained indifferent. He simply ordered coldly, “Men, force the rest of the poisoned wine down the Eldest Miss’s throat.”

“No!” Zhao Kefeng tried to rush forward to stop them, but he was held back by a group of servants.

“Master, think twice!” Concubine Sun knelt and begged. “No matter what, the Eldest Miss is your biological child! Blood is thicker than water!”

“Enough,” Zhao Song commanded sternly. “Anyone else who pleads for this wicked girl shall be punished alongside her!”